10 'Healthy' Things That Aren't

Reading the nutrition label on your jar of peanut butter may surprise you -- it's a go-to food in many homes in America, and it's also high in calories and fat. Don't let those two things stop you from indulging, though. Just be smart about the type you do eat.

Reduced-fat peanut butters may sound like a good idea. Less fat is good, right? The trouble with reduced-fat peanut butters is they usually make up for their loss with added sugar, which is not an improved trade over fat. Two tablespoons of Skippy creamy peanut butter, for example, contains 16 grams of total fat and 3 grams of sugars, while the reduced-fat version has 12 grams of total fat and 4 grams of sugars [source: Skippy]. Too much sugar in your diet can lead to insulin sensitivity or high blood sugar, which may lead to type 2 diabetes and other health problems.

The best nut butters are the most natural. Try peanut butters with no added sweeteners -- but at 16 grams of fat per serving (two tablespoons for most nut butters) keep an eye on how much you spread on your sandwich.